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Continue: Right Click on the Appalachian Trail
Phillip believed he had it all together. He loved his work in the recovery field and felt deeply grateful for his family. Then a few “pesky” lumps in his neck turned into a life‑shattering Stage 4 oropharyngeal cancer, a tumor at the back of his tongue. Treatment saved his life—but left him exhausted, hollowed out, and wondering what came next. In the middle of that darkness, Phillip sensed a startling walk the Appalachian Trail.
Phillip was not a seasoned long‑distance hiker. His only backpacking experience was a single week in the Adirondacks as a teenager. So the idea of spending more than six months and 2,000 miles on a rugged mountain trail felt reckless and exhilarating all at once. Four years of training still could not fully prepare a 55‑year‑old body—or heart—for what awaited him. The brutal terrain, wild weather, and complicated people all pushed him to his limits, but his greatest battle was with his own emotions.
As he logs the miles, shelters, and summit views, Phillip also shares what decades in a program of recovery taught him about monitoring and resetting his attitude—skills that proved just as essential as boots and backpack. With honesty and humor, he writes
The emotional highs and lows of starting over after serious illness.
The “crew” of family, friends, and fellow hikers who encouraged, challenged, and sometimes aggravated him—but never stopped believing in him.
The quiet, insistent power of choosing your outlook, one day and one step at a time.
Right Click on the Appalachian Trail is more than a hiking memoir. It is a story about relationships—with each other, with the natural world, and with a power greater than ourselves that meets us on the trail and in everyday life.
For anyone facing cancer, walking a recovery path, dreaming of the Appalachian Trail, or simply wondering how to keep going when life falls apart, this book offers one clear you can pause, reset, and continue. And a triumphant ending certainly helps.
Phillip was not a seasoned long‑distance hiker. His only backpacking experience was a single week in the Adirondacks as a teenager. So the idea of spending more than six months and 2,000 miles on a rugged mountain trail felt reckless and exhilarating all at once. Four years of training still could not fully prepare a 55‑year‑old body—or heart—for what awaited him. The brutal terrain, wild weather, and complicated people all pushed him to his limits, but his greatest battle was with his own emotions.
As he logs the miles, shelters, and summit views, Phillip also shares what decades in a program of recovery taught him about monitoring and resetting his attitude—skills that proved just as essential as boots and backpack. With honesty and humor, he writes
The emotional highs and lows of starting over after serious illness.
The “crew” of family, friends, and fellow hikers who encouraged, challenged, and sometimes aggravated him—but never stopped believing in him.
The quiet, insistent power of choosing your outlook, one day and one step at a time.
Right Click on the Appalachian Trail is more than a hiking memoir. It is a story about relationships—with each other, with the natural world, and with a power greater than ourselves that meets us on the trail and in everyday life.
For anyone facing cancer, walking a recovery path, dreaming of the Appalachian Trail, or simply wondering how to keep going when life falls apart, this book offers one clear you can pause, reset, and continue. And a triumphant ending certainly helps.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 2, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 18, 2024
This is a better-than-average book about one man’s journey on the Appalachian Trail. He avoids the pitfalls of making it a boring travelogue by focusing on the people and relationships he forms on the trail. Mr. Valentine goes from 250 pounds at the start to about 190 pounds when he finishes and, as everyone says, the journey transforms his life. Some takeaways:
1. Mr. Valentine is quite an emotional guy and the writing brings a lot of the emotion through. In some ways this is good, in other ways, man, he cries…a lot! 🤷♂️
2. He is pretty open about his feelings specifically in regards to one guy who is in his trail family whom he basically kicks out. It’s interesting that when someone else threatens to kick HIM out of his trail family (for a poor attitude), he immediately apologizes and asks for a second chance which he receives. An exercise in humility and repentance.
3. Tough love. When Mr. Valentine considers quitting the trail after getting to New Hampshire (1800 miles in), he gets a voicemail from his recovery director (Mr. Valentine is a recovering addict) that says only: “Hey. I hear you may be having some difficulty, thinking about quitting. My wife saw it on Facebook. Listen. You have two noble options left. Finish this thing or die trying.” Mr. Valentine loved the direct nature of the message and went on to complete the trail.
I enjoyed reading the book.
1. Mr. Valentine is quite an emotional guy and the writing brings a lot of the emotion through. In some ways this is good, in other ways, man, he cries…a lot! 🤷♂️
2. He is pretty open about his feelings specifically in regards to one guy who is in his trail family whom he basically kicks out. It’s interesting that when someone else threatens to kick HIM out of his trail family (for a poor attitude), he immediately apologizes and asks for a second chance which he receives. An exercise in humility and repentance.
3. Tough love. When Mr. Valentine considers quitting the trail after getting to New Hampshire (1800 miles in), he gets a voicemail from his recovery director (Mr. Valentine is a recovering addict) that says only: “Hey. I hear you may be having some difficulty, thinking about quitting. My wife saw it on Facebook. Listen. You have two noble options left. Finish this thing or die trying.” Mr. Valentine loved the direct nature of the message and went on to complete the trail.
I enjoyed reading the book.
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September 25, 2022Amazing story of faith, commitment and adventure.
Although this is a great read from an adventure story standpoint alone of what it is like to thru hike the Appalachian Trail and the physical and emotional struggles that are inherent in such an undertaking it's the rest of the story that had me going cover to cover in two days. From surviving stage 4 cancer and committing to the journey after a higher power challenge, Phil uses all he has learned in years of recovery to get through the challenges he faces over 189 days on the AT. So well written it's like being there with him. Great read!
Although this is a great read from an adventure story standpoint alone of what it is like to thru hike the Appalachian Trail and the physical and emotional struggles that are inherent in such an undertaking it's the rest of the story that had me going cover to cover in two days. From surviving stage 4 cancer and committing to the journey after a higher power challenge, Phil uses all he has learned in years of recovery to get through the challenges he faces over 189 days on the AT. So well written it's like being there with him. Great read!
January 19, 2023
A wonderful memoir of Phil’s adventures on the Appalachian Trail. I cannot imagine walking that far for that long, but I got to experience it vicariously through his detailed account. He has a simple writing style that allowed him to paint a clear picture of the struggles, challenges, joys and accomplishments he encountered along the way. Phil persevered through it all, motivated by God’s healing (from cancer), and His provision of protection throughout the 6 month journey on the trail. Inspiring. I will probably never hike the AT, but I’m inspired to just CONTINUE through the hard moments, and rely on God to do so.
March 29, 2024
A nice surprise
I have read dozens of books about hikers on the AT and frankly I only read this one because it was free and the author lives in the same town as I do. We even have the same orthopedist and so I got hooked. He did a decent job of expressing his feelings and follies and I’m happy that he was able to conquer this challenge. I forget sometimes how hard it must be to maintain sobriety, and so thanks for the lessons.
I have read dozens of books about hikers on the AT and frankly I only read this one because it was free and the author lives in the same town as I do. We even have the same orthopedist and so I got hooked. He did a decent job of expressing his feelings and follies and I’m happy that he was able to conquer this challenge. I forget sometimes how hard it must be to maintain sobriety, and so thanks for the lessons.
February 11, 2023
Excellent book that details not only the immense physical challenges encountered when thru-hiking the AT, but also the psychological ones as well. A moving tribute to the crucial roles that faith, family and friendship play in our lives.
December 21, 2023
Encouraging and Epic!
Right Click bring’s you with him on his epic journey of the AT. The understanding and gratitude of God’s presence along the trail is remarkable! We all fall, but we need to remember that there’s always a hand reaching out to lift us up!
Right Click bring’s you with him on his epic journey of the AT. The understanding and gratitude of God’s presence along the trail is remarkable! We all fall, but we need to remember that there’s always a hand reaching out to lift us up!
February 18, 2024
one of the better trail stories written
I have read many books about hiking the AT and I must say this did not disappoint. The author describes all the various aspects of the hike in an easily relatable way. He just makes everything interesting. Highly recommend.
I have read many books about hiking the AT and I must say this did not disappoint. The author describes all the various aspects of the hike in an easily relatable way. He just makes everything interesting. Highly recommend.
November 18, 2023
Awesome read!
Absolutely beautiful book. The trials on the trails and descriptions were so like
like. I felt as if I was on the trail with everyone.
Absolutely beautiful book. The trials on the trails and descriptions were so like
like. I felt as if I was on the trail with everyone.
April 11, 2025
a good read about a thru hike
Love the stories of the trail. The real life struggles while on the trail and the tramily made while there. Real life stories.
Love the stories of the trail. The real life struggles while on the trail and the tramily made while there. Real life stories.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews